Drove past and stopped to look in the gate on May 24 2015. The Midtown is closed, but all the buildings are standing, appear in good condition, the paint looks crisp, even the grass is mowed. Just no one around. Nothing on the marquee.

drewc – The sign you found is a modern casting made in some quantities for unknown purposes. I bought one on eBay too, thinking it was a unique if regrettable relic of the Jim Crow era. I then discovered that there were dozens of them floating around. Knoxville’s theatres were indeed segregated into the 1950’s, but someone has created these “No Colored, Broadway Theatre, Knoxville Tennessee” signs specifically to sell as outrageous curiosities.

Joe and Ron, I’ll tell a mildly embarrassing story on myself. June 27 2014 I drove over to Greeneville (about a hour and half away) expressly to check out the theatres there. Went to the library, got copies of maps, newspaper clipping etc. Walked around, found the old theatres, took pictures. It was a nice summer day.

When I got home I found an empty folder on the back seat of my car. Driving with the top down, apparently every sheet had blown out and I didn’t notice. Expletives flew.

So I got a load of photos but no notes to make sure which was which or what the names and addresses were.

I have a photo of the 1903 cornerstone for the theatre on the corner of Irish and Depot. There is no name, just that date. Oddly, the cornerstone is on the back, facing the alley.(!?)

It seems that a lot of the buildings on both sides Depot in that block are owned by an antiques dealer who uses them for storage. The buildings appear to be secured, but underutilized.

A single line entry in The Motion Picture World, April 24, 1915, page 591, says “The Delft, at Escanaba, has put into use its new $5000 pipe organ.” That certainly gives a timeframe for when movies began to be shown here.

I’ve been following the trail of Reproduco organs (photoplayer) mentioned in an ad from 1926. There are two references to Pawhuska OK in that ad. One is for the Jackson Theatre and there is a suggestion that the Jackson might have been owned by one Albert Jackson. The other reference in the ad is the sale of photoplayer to F.B. Pickrell also of Pawhuska. Any thoughts which hall Mr. Pickrell owned? If the State was around in 1924, it would be a candidate. (Of course, Reproducos other market was funeral homes, so for all we know Mr. Pickrell might have been a mortician!)

There is a 1926 advertisement for Reproduco Organs which lists one of their “satisfied customers” as Anton Slepka of Okemah Oklahoma. It would seem Pop Slepka upgraded the musical accompaniment after buying the Jewell.

A 1926 advertisement for Reproduco Organs lists the Oklahoma Theatre as one of their satisfied customers. Reproducos were very modest “photoplayers” half player piano, half sound effects machine and half pipe organ. (!) Because of their piano roll mechanisms, they were popular in remote areas where a capable musician might not be available to accompany silent pictures day after day after day after day. Reproduco (reportedly) had some of the best musical arrangements around.

In my research about Reproduco organs I’ve got a listing from 1926 for the Cozy Theatre in Hollis, OK. That implies the 1928 hall was the second Cozy in town. To my ear, the name Cozy seems an unusual name for a theatre, but I’m finding a number of halls scattered around the mid-west with that name. Were they part of chain? In Joe’s link I see a reference to G.A. Peterson. Local developer? Theatre chain executive?

DavidDynamic: speaking as an architect interested in old theatres, it’s not unusual in old halls to have fewer exits, or types of exits, from the balcony than is currently allowable. No one in theatre design or codes enforcement has ever forgotten the tragedy of the Iroquois Theatre fire (Chicago) even 100 years later. So yes, if there’s the slightest hint of danger to the audience, the balcony will be closed to the public. Sad but better safe than sorry.

The Sun Theatre is mentioned in a 1926 advertisement for Reproduco Organs. Reproducos were fairly modest instruments, and all (to my knowledge) were equipped with roll players – a useful option in a place where there might not be a musician always on hand who could credibly play during a silent movie.